The Cat House
by i hate umbrellas
Summary: Kyou has been locked up for 15 years. Akito is dead so why hasn’t Kyou come out yet? Tooru is heartbroken. Yuki is indifferent married with a child. Sequal to Just One Little Push
1. Anniversary

**The Cat House**

**Summary: **Kyou has been locked up for 15 years. Akito is dead so why hasn't Kyou come out yet. Tooru is heartbroken. Yuki is indifferent married with a child and has to deal with the love of a teenager, Petal.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own fruits basket. I only own Souma Petal and her sister Souma Yoruko. This is a sequel to Just One Little Push. Haru and Rin are not really the main focus but I have made their role in the story bigger.

**Anniversary**

Yoruko remembering something rushed into a box and pulled out something wrapped in ornate material. "We have to give this to mum and dad, it's there anniversary today." We rushed downstairs. I couldn't believe that mum and dad forgot about their anniversary, probably worrying about us too much. All these thought couldn't have prepared me for the site that greeted us as we got to the front room. It was not something that anyone wanted to see their parents doing. Yoruko drop the things she was holding while I gasped out "Mum, Dad" horrified.

Rin and Haru looked up guiltily.

"We were going to give you a present for your anniversary but looks like you two are already celebrating." Yoruko said disguising her shock.

Haru allowed Rin to unwrap the material. Inside were a locket and a wallet. Rin opened the locket but nothing was inside. "Petal's present is upstairs we'll go and get it."

In the hallway I looked questionably at Yoruko. "What did I get them?"

"You'll have to thank me for your present"

"What date is it?"

"It's August 8th." That's why it was so hot when we got back.

"How come we left at nearly Christmas now it's middle of summer?"

"I just realised why we were missing for 3 days."

"Huh?"

"When we didn't exist and no one knew us, we were wondering around for 3 days before we went back in time. I sort of forgot. But we were going to the shop to buy a camera and there was an earthquake. Nothing was out of the ordinary till we got home."

We entered my room and on my bed was a camera. "My presents a camera, it's a bit…"

"No, silly, it is pictures to put into the locket and wallet so mum and dad can carry us around with them. We were going to get dad a locket too but then we thought it was too girly. Then we saw the wallet and it had spaces for pictures so we got him that. I took the camera back in time and used at the fancy dress party and some random other thing's that happened before that." We returned down the stairs and Yoruko told mum and dad about the pictures in the camera and we decided to go out to get the film developed after they had exchanged presents in their room. We decided to leave them in peace and wait for them to fetch us.

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Haru gave Rin a music box, it had a beautiful pattern over it in blues and greens and purple. Inside was a ballerina spinning around to a classical song. Rin gave Haru a new leather jacket which had the kanji Tenjou Tenge (heaven and earth) written down one arm and on the back some really complicated kanji so he could wear it when he was on his motorbike.

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Mum and dad took their time to exchange presents leaving me time to get out of the Ayame-Styli dress that was way too hot to wear and frilly. Yoruko had gotten out of hers ages ago. Even after changing which took for ages because the dress was so darn hard to get off mum and dad still hadn't come down. I began to get inpatient I wanted to see the picture's I bet they were funny. Finally they came down and we went to shop to give the camera in. They said come back in a couple of hours and they should be developed. We went to the park and had some nice cold ice-creams. "I think that Petal should visit the rest of the family!" Yoruko exclaimed. I thought about seeing the others but I was afraid to. Yuki and Kyou and everyone would be a lot older and I won't even remember them accept for a while when they were at school before I was born. And there was probably people I had known and but didn't know now and what about Hatori. He was d… I couldn't even think it.

"I think that we should go and see Yuki first" I gave Yoruko a dirty look. Did she do that on purpose?

"That's a great idea; I had to talk to Yuki come to think of it." Haru said. Rin threw a suspicious look at him but agreed and I found myself following some what reluctantly. I really did want to see Yuki but he was also the person I was most afraid to see.

We walked down a path which I felt I had been down before. "I've been here before"

"Yuki lives in Gure-chan's house"

"He still lives with Shigure-san" I laughed a little. The thought of it was hilarious.

"Shigure died about 18 years ago with Hatori" I didn't even know Shigure, I never met him but the news hit me like a ton of bricks.

"What happened?" I wonder why I never asked how Hatori died.

""I don't know. It was before I was born and no one speaks of it." No one speaks of it. Why?

Yuki hadn't change that much, his hairstyle was the same, and he just was a little taller and had a more mature face. I was shocked to see that he had a wife and a child nearly my age. It turned out his wife Machi went to their school and was in Dad's year. Their child was called Maki真輝 and he was in his last year of Middle school. This news was so shocking, I don't know what I was expecting but I didn't expect that.

"Does she know?" I whispered to Yuki who I was sitting next to by coincidence.

Yuki looked at me questionably then getting the meaning nodded. I didn't want to know how that worked out, actually I was a little bit curious but there was no way I was going to ask. No way in hell.

We didn't stay long because we had to go back to the photo shop. I was glad because I felt so uncomfortable sitting next to Yuki when he was with Machi. Maki wasn't about and I wondered if he was part of the zodiac.

"So you've seen Ayame, Yuki and obviously our parents and us. So that leaves Kagura, Momiji, Hiro and Kisa." Yoruko exclaimed as we walked down the path.

"Who are Hiro and Kisa?" I've never heard of them before.

"We'll go and meet them tomorrow yer"

"OK" we looked at the photos and they were way funny. The man gave us a CD as well so we could make copies if we like and I wanted to go home and print of big ones so I could put them on my wall.

"We should take these round to Momiji bet he would like them and we should give a copy to Tooru it might cheer her up"

"What's wrong with Tooru? I swear she was ever the optimist" I found that I was talking to myself because Yoruko had left and gone into the kitchen. I printed up two extra sets normal size for Momiji and Tooru. I couldn't wait to see Tooru again she was always so cheerful and such a klutz that I bet that she hadn't changed and Momiji too. I only talked to him for a little but he was so childish looking and full of life.

Today was so strange; it started 20 years ago and ended in the present. It had been winter there and now it was midsummer.

**End Note:** If I refer to Rin or Haru I'm going to say mum and dad respectively. That's if there is any confusion. **RinHaru4ever** I know you're a Rin and Haru fan and so I have made them have a bigger role in the story then I had previously imagined. I hope that you find the story okay. I put the story under Yuki and Kyo because they were going to be my main characters but that is like a Shounen Ai category but I still done it anyway and am tempted to turn the story Shounen Ai but I don't think I'm going to because it doesn't have anything to do with the story even though there is a plot in my head to make Yuki and Kyo get together. Oh I'm so confused.


	2. Pictures That Don’t Belong

**The Cat House**

**Summary: **Kyou has been locked up for 15 years. Akito is dead so why hasn't Kyou come out yet. Tooru is heartbroken. Yuki is indifferent married with a child and has to deal with the love of a teenager, Petal.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own fruits basket. I only own Souma Petal and her sister Souma Yoruko. This is a sequel to Just One Little Push.

**Pictures That Don't Belong**

Waking up was strange. All the things that happened yesterday felt like a dream but the fact that my bed and room was different proved it wasn't.

After getting washed and dressed I went downstairs to have breakfast. No one was up so made some toast to eat in front of the TV. After about half an hour I was so bored no one had gotten up. 7 o'clock was that early. Walking up the stairs I bumped into Yoruko "I was just going to wake you, when are we going to see the other?"

"You're more excited today." Yoruko commented.

"Come on, I want to see Momiji and Tooru!"

"Okay, give me 15 minutes." I went out side and looked around. I remembered walking around the Souma complex before looking for Haru and meeting Akito, both times I felt like I didn't belong but in actual fact I was a Souma after all. "Momiji lives in Hatori's old house, let's go and visit him first because he lives the closest and he will want to see Tooru as well."

"Okay!" I felt a pang in my heart when I heard Hatori's name but I kept on a strong face. "Let's go" we walked along for a little while and we ended up at a house that was near the main house. This was wear I was taken when I collapsed and where I saw Hatori for the first time.

"Yoru-chan! Petal-chan!" Momiji jumped up to us and hugged us. He hadn't changed in personality but he had grown a lot taller and looked mature. It was kind of strange.

"Momiji-san! We brought you pictures." I searched my bag as we walked into the front room. "Here you are!"

He looked at the picture confused. "How did you get these?"

"We were there. We travelled back in time. Look there's me and you and there's Yoruko. We're going to visit Tooru, wanna come?"

"Yay, I haven't seen her in a long time." Momiji said but he didn't seem as excitable as he was before.

"Come on then let's go now"

"No, it's to early Petal you can't go round people's houses at eight in the morning."

"But we went to Momiji-san's" I asked disappointed. We hadn't even left Souma grounds yet.

"Yer but Miji-chan doesn't count." Oh this is no fun. I'm bored. What are we going to do to pass the time? "But what are we supposed to do then?"

"Let's play a game. It's called Rabbit Run." Momiji suggested. He tried to explain us the really complicated rules but we didn't get it and played a much simpler game that we dubbed three and four.

That seemed to pass the time. Yoruko and Momiji were so good and they thrashed me even when we played the much simpler version. Wah, it was so not funny and they were laughing like Hyenas.

When noon came Yoruko decided it was not too early anymore and I vowed to never play that game again. "You know you used to be the unbeatable champion of rabbit run the original game. No one wanted to play you because they knew they would lose."

"So how comes I couldn't even get the rules?"

"Well the rules were a bit complicated…" Momiji piped up.

"A bit complicated? They were impossible." How could have I been good at that game it made no sense what so ever.

"Come let's go" Yoruko intervened.

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Arisa lived in a two bedroom apartment with Tooru. They had been living together for 15 years. Seeing Tooru was disheartening. She looked so miserable even when she was smiling. Behind her eyes held so much misery like she had lost something really dear to her. I showed her the photos and she cheered up a little, soon after we made our excuses and left.

On the way home I didn't say a word all I saw was Tooru's pain. Yoruko went of to her part time job so it left Momiji and I walking in silence. What had happened, how long had she been so miserable? "Momiji"

"Mmm" Momiji looked at me like he knew what I was going to say.

"What's wrong with Tooru? Why was she so miserable?" Momiji's faced hardened.

"It's a long story it happened ages ago." Momiji didn't seem to want to talk so I just left. There had to be someone else willing to talk. Yoruko, did she know?

"Want to play Rabbit Run?" I asked trying to lighten the mood.

"Huh"

"Well I'm supposed to be the best. So all I have to do is relearn the rules right?"

"But you need at least three players."

"It don't matter come on its not real games anyway. Just practice. Okay."

At about 2PM Momiji said he had to get to work and so I went home. I didn't know anyone in this time, Yoruko wasn't about and I felt so lonely. "Mum, Dad," I called "Is anyone home?"

The house was silent and still. I looked around the house to make sure that no one was home and I was sad to say it was true. I decided to search my room for memories of my old self, I didn't think I would find anything useful but it was better than doing nothing. My room was just how it looked this morning, a bit like my room from twenty years ago. It wasn't fair all I could remember was what happened 20 years ago and I'm not even 20. I wished I had my memories back and the knowledge that they were never going to come made me feel even worse.

I felt like crying but I didn't feel like crying, at the same time. It was so sad that Hatori and Shigure were dead and there was something wrong with Tooru even Momiji quietened at the mention of her. Something happened; Yoruko said something about it happening before we were born. What happened with Shigure and Hatori? Why does no one speak of it was it really that bad? Even if Yoruko's not interested in finding out I want to know what happened.

The doorbell rang bringing me out of my plotting. I went to see who it was, it was a relief that someone was about. I opened a door it was a man and women whom I'd never met before. "Hello. I'm Kisa and this is Hiro" the woman gestured to the man next to her. "Yoru-chan phoned us last night and asked us to visit you this afternoon if we had the time. What happened Pet-chan are you okay?"

"Erm yes, come in." I stepped aside so they could walk into the house.

"We can't stay long" Hiro said.

"That's okay. Do you want some tea?" I offered.

"Okay" I went and made tea.

"How are you, Pet-chan? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Did I look ill or something?

"This tea is not warm enough"

"Hiro I think the tea is just the right temperature."

"Come on I think we should go now. Petal doesn't look sick."

"Then why did Yoruko want us to see her then?"

"Erm I just wanted to see you two I missed you." I said to get myself back into the conversation about me. I didn't feel like telling them I lost my memories because I felt that they would go on again like I wasn't there. It was a bit rude even if it was unintentional.

"Okay well we have to go now." Hiro said, with a look as if I had wasted his time. After that they left and I was all alone again.

There must be something to do or somewhere to go. Who haven't I met yet? Or I could go see someone I've met. Who do I know where they live? Wah I didn't know where anyone lived. The door went again. This time it was someone I knew, it was Yuki. "Y… Yu… Yuki" I stuttered. He smiled and came in. "Erm, w… what are you doing here?" I gasped out.

"Yoruko told me to come over today before you left yesterday. Didn't she say anything to you?" I shook my head. "Are you okay? You were acting kind of strange yesterday"

"I'm fine" I found myself saying again. "Want to see some pictures?"

"Okay. Who are they of?"

"Us" I went and got the pictures and handed them to Yuki.

"This happened twenty years ago. Where did you get these from?"

"Yoruko took them." Yuki looked disbelieved. "Look, there I am."

"That's not possible" he half whispered.

"We went back in time…"

"How is that possible?"

"And Yoruko wiped my memories." I told Yuki the whole story and after telling him some facts that I could never know without going back, he believed me.

"Who did you show those pictures to?"

"Erm, Tooru and Arisa was there and Momiji and Mum and Dad. Why?"

"You shouldn't show them to anymore people, you've showed them to too many people already. They're not meant to be…"

"What do you mean?"

"Those pictures don't belong here. I don't know how you managed it but people are not supposed to travel. You should get rid of them."

Yuki reaction was so serious and shocking. What harm could these pictures do? "But I like them!" I exclaimed.

"Didn't the others think it was weird?"

"No" I said stubbornly.

"Well it is. You have to get rid of them all." There was no way I was getting rid of them.

**End Note:** Well what's going to happen to the pictures? Yuki want them destroyed while Petal wants to keep them. Oh my god you can only have 15 document up at a time!


	3. The Note

**The Cat House**

**Summary: **Kyou has been locked up for 15 years. Akito is dead so why hasn't Kyou come out yet. Tooru is heartbroken. Yuki is indifferent married with a child.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own fruits basket. I only own Souma Petal and her sister Souma Yoruko. This is a sequel to Just One Little Push. Okay I've stopped being lazy and decided to write another chapter.

**The Note**

I search around for something to keep his mind off the photos. It was a sticky subject but I was nonetheless curious so I said "What's wrong with Tooru? She used to be so cheerful, now she's not even a shadow of her former self."

Yuki's face hardened. "Bad things happen to good people" he said and made to switch topic. I was having none of it, I wanted to know what was going on and there was no way I was giving up when he looked like he knew something and was keeping it hidden.

I decided to change tact. "What happened to Shigure-san and Hatori-san?" I asked in what I hoped was a soft and calming manner.

"It happened long ago, it's better off forgotten…"

"How can I forget something I never knew?" I protested.

Yuki sent me a sharp look and in a final tone said "Well then, there is no need to forget where you're concerned."

I shut up. It was obvious I had overstepped my mark. I felt so useless. I had to do something, but what?

"Want to get something to eat?"

I looked up and smiled, I would think of a good plan tonight but right now I get to spend some time with Yuki! "Yes, I would love to" he smiled his usual smile and we left the house.

"There was a time when I was afraid to come here" Yuki commented as we left he compound. That's so strange, I couldn't imagine Yuki frightened of anything, and he always looks so strong. And it was an unusual thing to be afraid of. How could someone be afraid of their home? Unless they were abused or... Abused? Was Yuki abused as a child? I looked at him questionably. He just smiled saying "That was a long time ago" I smiled weakly, it was something to do with that dark room, I could feel. It couldn't hurt to take another look.

We sat in a coffee shop. I had hot chocolate and a chocolate chipped muffin while Yuki had a coffee. "Yuki-san, thanks for the chocolate it's really nice."

"You're welcome, I have to go soon." My face fell. "Why don't you come over to my house and hang out with Maki-kun?"

Well it was better than be alone so I agreed. We left the coffee shop and walked down to Yuki's house. As we got closer Shigure began to fill my thoughts, I wondered if Maki knew about it. I doubted it Yuki had been resistant to talk to me so why tell Maki. Who would help me find out what I needed to know. "Yuki! My dear brother I came to visit you and you weren't here!" Ayame's voice could fill the biggest of areas. Ayame! He would tell wouldn't he?

"I'm not going to be here for that long I'm just dropping Petal-chan off."

"That's so boring!" Ayame swooned over to Yuki and tried to twirl him around but Yuki side stepped and turned to me.

"I'm going now, tell Maki-kun that I'll be back late and to tell Machi" he strode of quickly.

"Oh Pet-chan you're here!" I smiled feebly, Ayame was just so energetic, but he was going to help me so I should be thankful that he's here. "Let's go inside and find Maki-chan, we can play a game called through the eye of the snake." Next thing I knew I was sweep of my feet and moving towards the house.

Maki looked exactly like Yuki except his hair was different, it was a dark brown colour and

It turned out that 'Through the Eye of the Snake' was a game even more complicated then 'Rabbit Run' the only difference was they didn't expect me to be good and thrash everyone so I figured there was no chance of improving.

Maki was no better than I and we had some sneaking suspicion that the rules kept changing but when we asked Ayame about it he said "That's the way of the game." After being thrashed six times in a row I decided that it was time for the questions.

"Ayame" I said in the sweetest voice I could master.

"Yes my darling Pet-chan, was you wondering if I could make you another wonderful dress?"

No yell no I thought but I answered "Yes, your dresses are exquisite." Ayame was about to go on his rambling about how of course they were incredible because he made them when I cut in "Ayame what happened to Shigure and Hatori all those years ago?"

At the mention of their names he shut up, then he went on another of his tangents. "Did you know that when we were in school we were known as the Mabudachi trio? There was this one time when…" I listened intently, or as much as you can listen to Ayame for the best part of an hour but, all I found out was how much of a good Council President he was and what happened on one of his school trips.

"But Ayame-san what happened a bit later after school, what happened when they died?" I cried desperately. Yes I know I lack tact but this is Ayame we're dealing with.

"Ah yes I have been alone for many years carrying the tales of the Mabudachi trio with me in living memories of Ha'ri-chan and Gure-chan…" Then he told us a story of why he was aloud long hair. I began regretting my decision to ask Ayame because it seemed this man couldn't talk about anything of importance. And on top of that I wasn't quite sure if he was going of point on purpose or if that was just him.

Machi came home later on and began to make dinner straight away. I rushed to help her. Ayame was funny in his own right but too much of him was just plain tiring. "Machi-san can is there anything you need help with?"

"It's quite all right you can continue your games with Ayame and Maki-kun" she smile and began emptying some shopping bags.

"Are you sure? I really want to help!" I think I said it rather excitedly because Machi just agreed. We made battered prawns and stir-fry. It looked really nice and I was starving by the time it was ready. When I went back into the front room Yuki was home and he was playing Ayame in a game of 'through the eye of the snake' I sat down beside Maki to watch and it was an intense game where it seemed like neither were going to win or lose. "How long have they been playing?" I whispered to Maki.

"Not long but dad's really good at this game he's the only one that can rival Aya-kun." I watched for a while. The game looked very good now that people who actually new how to play were playing. I was just thinking how good it would be if I was a wicked player, the game was much better than Rabbit Run, when Maki nudged me. I fell over from the shock and glares at him from my position on the floor. He slid a note into my hand and at that moment Machi called for dinner.

Dinner was nice but afterwards Yuki said that we had to go home. I'm not quite sure if I imagined it but he was looking pointedly at Ayame. Ayame volunteered to take me home and reluctantly I left with him. This was going to be a long ride home.

We walked through the trees and in the darkness the stars were bright in the sky and they looked beautiful, pity I couldn't enjoy them, Ayame was now going on about the time he made the most wonderful maids outfit. By the time I got home I was exhausted. I went upstairs and collapsed on my bed. I could hear Ayame's voice he was telling mum and dad about the day he had and he didn't seem like he was going to go home anytime soon. "Yer, my darling brother and I played a nice little game of through the eye of the snake. We have truly gotten close from since he was younger. Yet I still think that our relationship is still not tight enough for that of a brother's relationship should be. Yuki-kun can be a little cold at times…" I felt truly sorry for Yuki but that was not what I was concerned with at the moment. It was time to plan.

At the moment it didn't look like anyone was going to tell me anything even Yoruko wasn't interested. 'Well if no one cares I'm going to find it myself' I resolved.

Some time later I realise that thinking stuff and actually doing them was completely different. I had no idea where to start, why was everyone so hell bent on forgetting these things that happened like fifteen twenty years ago? What was so bad that everyone would just want to forget and keep it forgotten? What I needed was someone who wasn't there who was equally interested in finding out. They would have to my age but even Yoruko didn't care. Who else was there? I was just beginning to give up hope; maybe tomorrow I would have more leads I thought to myself. I knew I didn't really believe it but I couldn't just give up when I had just started could I? I pulled of my jeans when a scrunched up piece of paper fell out. It was just the paper that Maki had given me. I wonder what he wanted. Maki! He's my age, he could help couldn't he.

I picked up the paper and flattened it out: Pet-chan,

I've asked my dad countless times but he would never tell me anything, I know you're a pretty determined person so I want to help you find out about the Souma secrets. This family is so secretive when it wants to be and there's this place that no one is allowed to accept for a few certain maids and this man who I've never talked to but I've spied him on a few occasions. I think that place is where all the answer lay or at least a start to finding out what was kept secret for so long. It's hard to get there without anyone stopping you but I'm sure we can do it if one of us creates a diversion.

So are you in. Maki

"Of course I'm in" I exclaimed. A secret place, there's definitely going be answers there I'm sure of it.

Yoruko stuck her head round the door. "Pet-chan, are you okay I heard you call out."

"I'm fine" I said, hastily stuffing the note out of site. I would have put it back in my pocket but my jeans were lying on the floor out of reach. "Erm is Ayame-san still here?" I asked trying to distract Yoruko from the paper.

"He just went home. Mum managed to convince him, I don't know how she does it. You going to bed?"

"Yer" Yoruko left and I pulled some pyjama shorts on.

I'm finally getting somewhere I mused. Okay tomorrow I'm going to go over to Yuki's, Maki and I are going to plan out how to get to this secluded place.

**End note: **Okay next chapter there might finally be some answers. Will Petal and Maki manage to get to this isolated place? Will the place hold answers that will help them? Thanks to my reviewers **Zafiro Okami** and **RinHaru4ever**. Hopefully Tohru won't be miserable for much longer and the pictures have a special role in the story, good or bad we'll have to see. People have nightmare at least once a week but most of the time they are forgotten by the time we wake. If you don't dream it is more likely that you can't remember them then that you don't have them at all. Ja ne.


	4. Maki's Plan

**The Cat House**

**Summary: **Kyou has been locked up for 15 years. Akito is dead so why hasn't Kyou come out yet. Tooru is heartbroken. Yuki is indifferent.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own fruits basket. I only own Souma Petal and her sister Souma Yoruko. This is a sequel to Just One Little Push.

**Maki's Plan**

I felt like laughing, Maki and I were embarking on a real mystery, it was so exciting! I strolled down the stairs and into the kitchen. No one was up yet so I started making breakfast.

The room looked like a bomb had hit it when I finished. So I sat down at the table like nothing had happened and ate my pancakes. I love making pancakes, they are my best recipe especially flipping them over, although I haven't got the hang of that yet.

"Petal! What have you done?" I looked up to see

Yoruko standing in the doorway, her expression was scary.

"I made pancakes, do you want some? I made enough for everyone" I squeaked, her faced soften a little and she came and sat down. I passed her a plate and grinned, "Eat, it's nice!"

"Just clear up when you've finished, you know Mum will have a cow if she sees this, you know how she can be." I so did know how she could be, Mum was a scary mother f… cough cough. Yes she's really scary. I settled with smiling serenely and ate another pancake.

My insides froze as I heard an intake of breath. Looking behind me I saw the most foreboding figure in the history of angry women. "M mum" I stuttered out. "Y… you're up early"

"My precious kitchen!" she shrieked in the most girlish and un-Rin like voice that I had ever heard. I fell of my chair in shock. Who would have thought that Rin would come into a kitchen loving housewify figure?

Suddenly a wave of distress came over me. I should have known exactly what Mum was like but I didn't know her, or Dad. Not really. "Petal, why are you crying" I looked up into my Mum's face. I hadn't even realised I was crying although my cheeks did feel a little wet.

Mum's demeanour had completely changed from daunting horror to adoring mother. She cradled me in her arms. "Mum" was all I could say. I really wanted to say. 'Mum, why me? Why me? I wish I could remember you, know you. It just hurt so much that I know it would never happen. I instantly felt more determined to find out this Souma secret. Maybe I couldn't remember but I could still learn anew. "Mum can I go to see Maki-s… Maki-chan"

She thought for a moment, I could nearly see the cogs working in her brain. "What are you going to do about the kitchen?"

"It wasn't me it was Yoruko." I said defiantly.

"Is that so? You're the one who always messes up the kitchen to make pancakes. No matter how many time I tell you off you wait until you think I've forgotten and just do it again. You would have thought that you would have learnt by now how to make pancake without causes WW3."

"I like pancakes" I said hoping it would calm mum down again, "I don't remember ever making them before."

"Okay this time you can go." I smiled weakly. "I know. I'll have a surprise for you when you get back." Nodding slowly I got up and went to brush my teeth.

"Itte Kimasu!" I called as I left the house.

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I walked down the path that lead to Yuki's, his house was the only place I could remember to get to. I couldn't find any other place even Ayame's all though I was only there a few days ago. "Is Maki in?" I asked the woman, I think her name was Machi.

"He is in his room, you can go if you want or I can call him down,"

"I'll just go up." I rushed up the stairs but when I got to the landing I realised that I didn't know which room belonged to him. I was too busy trying to get away from Machi that I didn't even ask which room was his. "Maki" I called uncertainly.

He stuck his head around the door closest to me. "You're here," pointing to the door a bit further down the hallway he said "That's my room, I'll be there in a minute"

Maki's room was really clean for a boy. It wasn't spotless but it had a bit of order to it, I looked around for a while but there wasn't really much to see so I sat down on his bed and waited and waited and finally he came. "I thought you would be here in a minute" I cried exasperated. He looked guilty but didn't say any thing. Sighing I decided that we had to get down to business. "Okay tell me all you know"

"Back at the Souma compound if you go really far out, you come to this place where hardly anyone are. I used to always hang out there as a kid because dad said it was forbidden. When I was there the only people I saw were a few elderly maids that looked quite formidable and this guy. He's not as old as the maids but his older than dad. Every time I try to get close someone comes to find me, it usually one of the maids. They were scary when I was young so I would run as fast as my little legs could carry me. I suppose they didn't do anything because they knew I know nothing about what they're hiding. Once though I bumped into the guy he was kinda strange. I don't think he agrees with whatever locked up but I have no idea why he's allowed there and everyone else is not. He knows a lot so he's the one to find out from, it may be tough because he's as hard to approach as what they are hiding." We sat that there for a moment

"Wasn't we planning to get to that place not talk to that guy? What happened when you saw that guy? How do you know he will even help us, isn't it better to tell no one?"

"I trust him." Maki said simply.

I waited for him to explain but he didn't. "Why?" He still said nothing, "What are you not telling me?"

"Look, I trust him ain't that enough?" I though about this for while.

I didn't think this was going to work so I said my opinion. "We are trying to solve a mystery. Get rid of the secrets and here you are keeping a secret already. What is that about? I don't think this can work if we can't even trust each other," I took a deep breath. "Fine, don't tell me but…"

"He doesn't agree with the maids, whatever is locked up is not supposed to be. We can help."

"I want to help but why don't you trust me?"

"You tell Yoruko everything." My mouth hung open and I made the most unintelligible sound. There was no way that I would tell Yoruko she didn't even care either.

"I don't… I wouldn't…" I spluttered.

"You did" he growled, his voice low and threatening.

"What!?" I yelped like a wounded. Didn't mean for it to come out like that but I was surprised.

"You did, because of you, I'm not aloud in the Souma compound except if I'm accompanied by someone and Yoruko is always with you anyway, so nothing happened to you."

"I'm sorry…"

"Sorry doesn't cut it. We were so close last time and you went and told Yoruko. All we had planned had gone to ruin."

"If you don't trust me, why did you call me over? Why don't you just do it by yourself, you where the place is, you have that man to help you."

"I don't know. I need your help…" he looked like he was going to say something else but changed his mind at the last moment and said nothing.

"Look don't tell me, we have plans to make, man to find and place to brake into." I stood on the bed and punch high into the air. Maki began to laugh and rolled onto the floor. "We have to be serious now though.

Okay you know where it is so we don't have to find it. How are we going to find this man and what are we going to ask him."

"This is how it's going to be, we only have one chance of this because we are most defiantly going to get caught."

"What's the point of having a plan where we're going to get caught?"

"It's so heavily guarded that it would be impossible not to get caught that's where the man comes in. He's going to help us. I'm going to get caught…"

I looked at him so suddenly that my neck hurt a little. "I thought the man was going to get caught"

"No he's going to catch me, your going to do the rescuing. You're better at those things. He's going to take me off to the maids that'll give you time. That's the plan."

"That's it! But there are so many holes in it!" He shrugged and lay back on the bed I lay back as well. I bet there was more to the plan but he wasn't telling me. I wish he would just trust me but saying it would lead us in to a fight and fighting would get us nowhere. I would find out in the end wouldn't I? We were going to meet that man so… I just wish I could remember what happened last time we tried this. Maki is so determined and we had planned this before. My insides suddenly felt icy, what if Yoruko was suspicious? Oh no, she couldn't know I was hanging around with Maki or she might put two and two together. She might tell someone. I sat up suddenly "I don't think I should be seen hanging around with you, what if Yoruko realises what we're doing?"

Maki also sat up "You're right."

"I'll say I came here to see Yuki-san" I quickly turned my head away as I felt a blush creep onto my face.

"Why would you come to see my dad?" he asked strangely.

"No reason I should go." I said hastily, my face was started to burn so I got up abruptly and walked to the door.

"You should… erm… but let's meet up at the park tomorrow."

"I don't know where the park is." I didn't dare look around to face him again.

"What about Ayame's shop?"

Trying to finish the conversation quickly I said, "I could get someone to drop me of at it."

"That's good, most people can't be around him for too long. It would be better to say that I'm going somewhere else but I'll meet you there okay." Nodding I left the room and descended the stairs.

I let myself out quietly not wanting to disturb anyone. That damned little voice in my head said 'you just don't want to see Yuki's wife' I done my best to ignore it and found myself relatively quick outside my own house.

**End Note:** I have just decided that writing these stories is really amusing. Next chapter is a filler chapter. Soz about that it is just that I really wanted to do one because they always do it on Anime. I know it really annoying but oh well, I make sure another chapter will be up after quick to make it okay. **RinHaru4ever** thanks for all the reviews, he he, Ayame's gonna make an appearance, I like him but I never used to. At first he was annoying but he just grows on you! It's a bit sad that both his friends are dead but there is a reason, I didn't just kill them for the fun of it, at least he still has Mine. Next chapter **A Memory.**


	5. A Memory

**The Cat House**

**Summary: **Kyou has been locked up for 15 years. Akito is dead so why hasn't Kyou come out yet. Tooru is heartbroken. Yuki is indifferent.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own fruits basket. I only own Souma Petal and her sister Souma Yoruko. This is a sequel to Just One Little Push. Okay soz this wasn't up when I expected but school has gotten me so tired.

**A Memory**

"Petal-chan, I thought we would look at some photos and say some stories."

"What do you mean?" What was this all about? Then I remembered mum said she was going to plan something, it must be this.

"Haru and I are going to tell you about things you did when you were younger. You have to proceed into the front room for the show, so come on!"

I walked into the front room hesitantly. Sometimes I desperately wanted to remember but when someone wanted to tell me things that had happened I would become scared about what I would find out.

"Pet-chan, come and sit on daddy's lap" smiled dad cheekily. He must have sensed my uneasiness and I was glad, for he had lightened the mood.

"Daaaaaaaaaad!" I screeched, "I'm sixteen, you know, that's way to old to be sitting on my daddy's lap."

"No your not," he grabbed me and began to tickle me.

"Arhh" I gasp, I could barely breathe. "Dad, st… sto… p stop it" he doesn't relent however and keeps tickling me. By now tears are streaming out my eyes and mum steps in and pulls us apart. "Mum, you saved me!"

"Have you two have grown up yet?" she asked jokingly.

"Mum, it was all dad, he's such a child," I said indignantly.

"She was asking for it," Dad interjected.

I put on an affronted face. "I was so not"

"Where's Yoruko," dad said changing the subject, I think mum gave him a look to pack it in but I'm not quite sure.

"I'm right here," dad sat on the sofa. I went and sat next to him, accidentally on purpose kicking him on the shin. I grinned to myself. Me one, dad nil.

Mum came and sat down on the other side of me and Yoruko sat on the floor. I think mum made sure she was here against her will, maybe to give me moral support or for a punishment for erasing my memories in the first place. Was I really so close to her, I think since that time we had drifted apart. Yoruko hid things from me, I could tell. I believe some of her explanation but it all doesn't add up. Maybe what mum tells us would let me understand, possibly not.

"I thought we would tell you about our wedding, you and Yoruko both like to hear it." I nodded a bit unsure, a wedding that was a strange story to tell. "My dress was the most beautiful dress that I have ever worn. It had a white corset with pink ribbon on the back to tie it up. Pink netting over the shoulder, came down my arms. The first layer was a white petticoat that ended just above my knees, then there was a layer of white netting that came down to my ankles. There were another four layers that switched from pink to white and got high and higher each time. The shortest layer was the same length as the petticoat. I had a pink silk belt that was tied around my waist. It was really big and drooped over my bum. It had pink silk hanging down the side that were attached to my petticoat. Don't you think that is the best dress ever?"

"I couldn't really imagine it, mum," I shrugged, the dress didn't sound all that and I really didn't see why this story was interesting.

"I thought you wouldn't that's why we have pictures." Mum whipped out a photo album from no where and we began to look through them.

Mum and dad were a lot younger like how they look when I had known them. "How old were you?" I asked surprised, they couldn't have been, could they.

"I was eighteen, I had just come out of high school and Rin was pregnant with Yoruko." Dad answered.

"It sounds like you just got married because mum was pregnant," I teased. I knew that it so wasn't true, it was so obvious of how in love they were.

"Yep, so true, really didn't want to marry her but you got to do what you got to do,"

"Dad!" I exclaimed while mum hit him over the head. "Oww, I'm in the middle remember" I turned the pages to look at the other pictures and stopped on an overcrowded one. It had dad and mum in the middle, then outwards to the left. Tooru then the angry ginger guy, Hana-chan and Uo-chan. To dads right was Momiji, then I think the two that had come over to my house the other day. There was Ayame at the back with Hatori and a guy that I could only assume was Shigure. There were others who I couldn't identify but this was most certainly "around the same time as my photos."

"What did you say darling?" asked mum as she looked over at the picture that I was glancing at.

Huh, did I say something? I shook my head and looked at the next picture it was the wedding dress. "It's beautiful!" I breathed. It was nothing like what mum had described but similar at the same time. "Mum why didn't you show the picture's in the first place?"

"That would be telling" she said tapping her nose.

"My story"

"But mum hasn't said anything about the wedding all she done was describe the dress."

"You didn't sound to interested in hearing about a boring old wedding"

"Boring old…?"

"Listen, listen." Dad interrupted, "Okay this going to be a cute little story. After all you were a cute little girl." I cringed, why did dad's have to say things like that? "When you were seven…" I switched off at this moment because I had just turned the page again and on it was Yuki! He was with the ginger haired guy and they both looked bothered at being put together for a picture. This picture had so much emotion buried inside it that I was entranced by it. I was falling, falling, falling.

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"Petal! Petal!" I woke abruptly as images swirled around my head. I felt so confused, what happened?

I slowly opened my eyes to the blinding light above me. It got duller as I got used to it and I recognised the figures of mum, dad and Yoruko. "Are you okay?" mum asked all anxiously as she help me up and pulled me into a tight embrace.

"I'm fine just tired," I said although I felt anything but. I had things to think about, that dream that was so vividly real for instance. "I think I will just go to bed," I mumbled and started walking to my room.

"Are you sure?" mum said as she place a hand on my shoulder.

I put a smile on my face before I turned around to face her. "Of course, just tired," then I left.

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"Haru,"

"Mmm"

"I'm worried about Petal" Isuzu looked at her husband and realising she had his full attention she continued. "Well she's being acting strange, unlike her normal self and she fainted today."

"I agree she's changed nevertheless change isn't necessary a bad thing" Haru said thoughtfully. He wasn't quite sure how to answer. He was concerned too, he could see it as well but he didn't want to pointlessly worry Rin. "She still has some of her, let's say, un-admirable characteristics."

"What do you mean" Haru was happy to see Rin's anxiety turn to confusion.

"I mean messing up the whole kitchen just to make a plate of pancakes" Isuzu laughed, it was true. Haru beamed he had been successfully been able to distract her. Yes he was troubled too however he would wait it out for a while to make sure it wasn't just a parents' imagination doing over time.

**End Note: **This chapter went different then expected. I wanted a cute scene with Haru and Rin because they have become a bit neglected. I know they really have nothing to do with the story but that's what a filler, is something completely unrelated. Also I went a bit off track with the vision but you will find out about that in next chapter **My Vision.** I've left it for so long that I've forgotten what she dreamed about, but I'll think it up again, it's probably written it down somewhere just have to find it and make sure next chapters up soon.


	6. My Vision

**The Cat House**

**Summary: **Kyou has been locked up for 15 years. Akito is dead so why hasn't Kyou come out yet. Tooru is heartbroken. Yuki is indifferent.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own fruits basket. I only own Souma Petal and her sister Souma Yoruko. This is a sequel to Just One Little Push.

**My Vision**

I stumbled up the stairs and two my room, what I saw was wrong, it had to be, I couldn't believe it, I was not going to believe it. I brushed my teeth and put on my pyjamas absently, dwelling on the images that had come to my head and overwhelmed me. I dropped to my bed and lay there in confusion. What the hell was that? I just wanted to forget. Maybe things would be better in the morning. I was meeting up with Maki and we were going to brake in, that was an exciting prospect, yes I still doubted Maki's plan but I had to trust him didn't I?

I closed my eyes and counted some sheep jumping over a fence, that's was meant to get you two sleep but it never worked, I was just doing it to get my mind clear. After about thirty-seven sheep I was totally bored and my mind starting wondering off to a place I didn't want it to go to. I tried to think of something more pleasant but it kept crawling back to that event I had just witnessed. Did it really happen or was it no more than a dream, it had seemed so real. Also I rarely had dreams about people which had not happened or wasn't happening at the current moment. Why couldn't I have dreams about things that had not happened yet so I could stop them?

_Hate was radiating like a furnace. Where was it coming from? Yuki? I'd never seen him that angry before, and the red head could match Yuki's anger with hate. They were fighting, fighting to the death it looked like, someone has to stop it or one of them is going to end up dead. There's that woman she's watching and not doing anything. "Stop" I scream but no one hears my call. "Stop, no I don't want this, I can't take this. Please stop" all my cries are ignored, it's so horrible. What is wrong, why do they hate each other so much? Why was that woman laughing?_

_All these thought's swirled around my head. It was one of the worst experiences that I had ever been through. Did that fight really happen? Did it really take place? What was it about? I couldn't believe Yuki could do something like that, no I won't believe it. And that red haired boy, who is he? He was at the party he was in the picture. Is he part of the infamous Souma clan that I am apart of and have no knowledge of. Where is he now?_

_Something was not quite right, okay I knew that already, but things were really not quite right and I just couldn't sit by. I was more determined to find out about that forbidden place. But what if, no don't think about what ifs I told myself. I had to look positive or I couldn't achieve anything._

I woke up in a pool of sweat, it did not feel good. Last night I must have fallen asleep with the wishful thought of seeing the future but wouldn't that be even more burdening seeing things that had not happened and not know how or if I could stop them.

Trying to get out of that line of thought, I began to think about today. Today I was going visit Ayame Cough"Maki"Cough. I got out of bed and got a towel from a drawer. I got in the shower and let the warm water run over me. It was calming and soothing to my aching limbs, I must have be tossing and turning all night because my body felt like crap.

Stepping out the shower and dressing, I quickly brushed my teeth and went downstairs to see dad and Yoruko in the kitchen. "Dad, can I have a lift to see Ayame today?" I asked as innocently as possible. He looked at me with an undistinguishable look but nodded. I didn't like that I could not see what he was thinking. I was good at reading people and here I couldn't even read my own dad, it was a little depressing.

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"Care to tell me why you wanted to visit Ayame?" dad asked when we were what seemed to be halfway there.

"I like him, he's funny" I lied painfully, "And he seemed sad like he were missing someone"

Dad seemed to be satisfied with my answer. "What time would like me to pick you up?"

"You're not staying?" I asked trying to sound surprised.

"You will understand when you get to know Ayame a bit better why I can't stay." The way he said it made it seem like he had a real reason other that Ayame was just annoying and too much to handle when not need be.

"Can you pick me up in the evening whatever suits you" I said sweetly, it was sickening.

"Okay I pick you up at nine thirty."

Dad slowed down and stopped outside Ayame's shop, he didn't park showing that he couldn't get out the car, or maybe just didn't want to. I gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek before getting out the car and picking my bag from the floor. I wave as he drove of and walked to the direction of the shop but did not go in. Instead I walked to the left and was greeted by a boy who was hiding in the shadows. "You got here rather early," I commented, "It's not even ten."

"Well, you're here early as well."

I followed Maki down the street but didn't say anything to him, he didn't seem to acknowledge me either and I was fine with both of us walking in silence. I could sense his mistrust but also his guilt, he felt guilty that he didn't trust me.

Breaking the relative silence, as there were cars and other people hum-drumming in the background, I softly called his name. "Maki?"

He stopped and turned to look at me, "Where are we going?"

"Souma Compound he said simply."

"But I just come from there, why didn't we just meet up there"

"We're stopping somewhere, first we have to plan this..."

"I thought that's what we done yesterday" I cut across

"Look! Just drop it and let me think!" he said slightly enraged.

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This was not turning out how I expected it to. Actually I have no idea what I expected and I'm so confused. What the hell are we doing?

We entered a dojo and saw a guy with hair down to his mid-back, tied in a ponytail. "His hair used to be longer but then he cut it, now he's trying to grow it again" Maki said conversationally. He must have felt guilty for snapping at me earlier. "Shihan" Maki called to the man. He must have been the master of the dojo.

"Oh hello, Maki-kun, Petal-kun," He said good-naturedly. But there seemed to be sadness about him. I could bet my tail hair he was another Souma because they all seemed to be miserable and Tooru but she was nearly a Souma.

"Is Kureno here yet?"

"Why for a matter he is." Turning slightly "Kureno," he called.

This was the guy. Maki turned to the guy and they began to converse in low voices that I cold have listened into. Instead I contented myself with looking around the dojo and thinking. I could see the ginger nut kicking the air, he looked around about ten, and he was so cute.

"I'm going to beet that damned Rat!" I jumped; his voice was filled with too much malice, hatred and something else. It was filled with too many negative feelings for a young boy of his age.

"Pet-chan, are you okay." I didn't respond I was too busy thinking about that boy. At about ten he was filled with anger and more, then he grew up to be in that dreadful fight. Something struck me. Where was he now?

"Petal-kun, are you alright?" I turned and looked at the guy.

"Huh" was all I managed to say.

The two gave me a worried look. "We've nearly finished with the plan, we'll be leaving soon." I nodded unable to speak.

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Maki and I sat in the back of Kureno's car. I said I didn't mind sitting at the back by myself but Maki insisted, saying he needed to inform me of my part of the plan.

"Okay when we get to Souma Grounds, me and you are going to run off get pretty close to the place and observe. Meanwhile Kureno is going to talk to Akito-sama. When we get the signal, run off to where I point out, it will be locked" he handed me a big old rusty key. "Not just this padlock, but some other ones that need strength over keys. When you get there I'm going to crash something over wait a minute only then do you try to enter, and NOT BEFORE." I nodded.

**End Note:** Sorry that it has been long since my last update and I can't remember when that was. Also I called this the vision but the vision was only a small section of the chapter. Next chapter '**The Break In', w**ill they break in successfully will they get caught. What will Petal find?


	7. The Brake In

**The Cat House**

**Summary: **Kyou has been locked up for 15 years. Akito is dead so why hasn't Kyou come out yet. Tooru is heartbroken. Yuki is indifferent.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own fruits basket. I only own Souma Petal and her sister Souma Yoruko. This is a sequel to Just One Little Push.

**The Break In**

I grew steadily more nervous as we entered the Souma compound. What if the plan didn't work? What would they do to us? I shook my head, trying to shake the thoughts away. I got out the car shakily and followed after Maki, Kureno went in a different direction. 'This place looks familiar,' I thought.

"You see that door." Maki pointed to the door, it was concealed a little but I could just make it out. "Okay go on, wait for my signal, and remember wait a minute!"

"Yes," I answered as I made my way over. I couldn't believe we were doing something. What was in this room? I sort of felt that they should have told me more. I felt so in the dark.

I had just about got to the door, when I hear BAM! CRASH! and I thought wallop was to follow but pushed the though out of my mind because I needed to concentrate, I waited and about thirty seconds later the door began to open. I quickly ducked down and an old maid came out. She locked the door, padlocked it and barricaded it. What were they trying to hide? She walked off mumbling to herself. It was lucky I hadn't gone straight in or I would have run into her. I quickly got up and pulled down the wood and the padlocks, they were rusty and easy to brake. Then I slid the key into the lock and entered.

There was a man in there, he had ginger hair and his back to me looking out some bars. I walked up to him and put my hand on his shoulder. He jumped like he hadn't been touched in ages and looked at me bewildered. "Who are you?" he rasped.

"I'm Souma Petal," I said nervously. "Who are you, why are you here?" he looked stunned. I felt stunned, then my senses came back. He wasn't what I was expecting but we had to get out of here, pronto. "We've got to go!"

"Go where, why are you here?" and then it dawned on me who he was. It lay somewhere deep in my memories, became spurred by my visions and the seeing of him, right now.

"You're the cat!" I gasped, I didn't even know what it meant, there was no cat in the Zodiac, why was he one then? He face crinkled in anger. "Look," I said nervously. "We have to go now? Come on"

I moved over to the door. "Petal" I turned around. "Why are you here?"

"Why are you questioning me?" I asked furiously. "We've got to go!"

"Why are you here?" he repeated, he still had his back to me and just stared out the bars.

"Are you afraid?" I asked tentatively.

"Afraid of what?" he spat out.

"Of seeing the outside, you haven't turned to look, you just keep staring at the bars. If you don't get a move on, you'll be stuck in here and I'll be in trouble."

"Tell me why you're here." He demanded.

"If it was me stuck in here and someone came to save me, I would jump at and run out before the chance was taken away from me."

"Stop avoiding the question, just tell me why."

"I didn't know what I would find in here, I honestly thought whatever it was would be easier to get out, so get up and come." I ordered.

He looked surprises at my sudden change in voice. He turned and looked at me, slowly he got up and walked over to me. I grabbed his hand, encase he decided to just sit back down again. "The Soumas keep a lot of secrets," I said, I don't know why, it just seemed like the right thing to say.

**End Note: **Yeah I know this chapter is very short and I haven't updated in a long time but the next chapter will be longer I promise. Thanks to my dedicated reviewer **RinHaru4ever** who thought that I had given up on this story, I wouldn't do that, even if I don't update in ages. Okay in the next chapter, they try to escape the room, but were they in there too long? And is Akito really going to let her cat get away?


	8. Locked Up

**The Cat House**

**Summary: **Kyou has been locked up for 15 years. Akito is dead so why hasn't Kyou come out yet. Tooru is heartbroken. Yuki is indifferent.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own fruits basket. I only own Souma Petal and her sister Souma Yoruko. This is a sequel to Just One Little Push. Also I don't own the song that will appear in this chapter.

**Locked Up**

"Everyone hates the cat," he said as we left the room.

"Why?"

"Don't you know the story?" he said harshly, then his face softened along with his voice, "She didn't though."

"Who didn't?" I asked interested.

He looked surprise, he probably wasn't talking to me but I looked at him expectantly and he said one thing. "Tooru"

I never got a chance to react to this piece of information because from no where the maid that I had seen appeared. She hadn't seen us yet so I pushed Kyou down in the place where I had hid and ran at her to get her attention away from him. "What are you doing here?" I demanded braver than I felt.

I saw Kyou hovering wondering whether to join me. I gave him a stern look and he stayed put. The maid seeing me and then the door open behind me rushed in dragging me with her. I motioned for him to run away before I saw the inside of that place once more.

"Where is he?" she fumed. "This is all, your fault!" she screamed. I felt very afraid. She turned around and stormed out. I followed after her but she said, "Oh no you don't" and flung me on the floor before closing the door in my face, I heard the click of a lock and bit of banging. I still had the key on me but she probably barricaded it up again so it was no use. I bet the padlocks were no use anymore.

I sat down where Kyou sat previously and wondered how long I would be here for. How long had Kyou been in here? Would I be his age before someone rescued me or would I die here? I couldn't think this way, if I did, when someone actually rescued me, I would be too shocked to go anywhere just like him.

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I was began to feel more displacement as the sun set and was replaced by darkness. My fears swarmed around me. This place was horrid, it made people turn mental. You couldn't do anything see anyone and you wondered if you would ever see anyone again. I curled up on the floor and tried to sleep.

I lay awake for hour but soon drifted off to a fretful sleep. I was brutally awakened the next morning by the same maid. She had breakfast with her and it didn't look pleasing. "Eat this," she ordered and sat down to watch me eat. I wasn't hungry, my insides were crawling and I felt worn out. I don't know how long I actually slept for, all I knew was it wasn't refreshing. I was more tired now then I was last night.

"Eat," she ordered again. I shook my head to weak to talk and looked out through the bars. I could see what was so fascinating about them now. They were you only solace in the outside, a painful reminder but a reminder none the less.

She got up and took the plate with her. "You will get away with it once but if you don't eat next time I take the trouble to give you food, you'll be sorry!" she threatened and left the room.

I looked at her reclining back and looked at the wall. 'I don't want to be here.' Was all I thought and I stared out the bars and waited.

Hours passed in silence and it frightened me. I never knew how easy I was to scare before this. I began to sing.

"Close every door to me,

Hide all, the world from me,

Bar all my windows and shut out the light,

Do what you want to me,

Hate me and laugh at me

Darken my day time and torture my night,

If my life were important I would ask if I live or die,

But I know the answers lie far from this world,

Close every door to me,

Keep those I love from me…"

The door began to creak and for a moment I thought that it was my salvation. It was just the old maid and my spirits fell. She shoved the tray at me and resumed her position from this morning.

"No more orders," I questioned, "Where's the '_eat'_?"

"Shut up and eat!"

"Oh there it is," 'why the hell was I being so rude to the only person who I would see for a long time probably?' I thought to myself wildly. I picked up the chopsticks and started eating the rice, I left everything else and had some water. Then I put the tray on the floor and turned back to the bars.

The maid picked up the tray silently and began to leave, I'm sure she gave me an unpleasant look as well but if she did, I didn't witness it. Maybe I was hungry before because I felt better and turned my attention to one of the walls. I stared at it and imagined intricate carvings.

Soon I grew bored of that, no matter how nice the images I formed were, they were only in my head and hard to appreciate. The minutes ticked by and I wondered what time it was. For the first time thoughts of my parents came to my head. Wasn't they wondering where I was? Dad must have come to pick me up, just for Ayame to tell him, he hadn't seen me all day, then Ayame might go on for ages while Dad got more worried. Then finally he would have been able to get away and he would come home to find me not there and tell Mum. They would worry together looking around places that I could be. Did Maki tell them where I was? Were they even trying to get me out of this place?

I tried desperately not to think about those things and then I saw her. It was my mother she was laying on the floor. Her hair was shorter that it is now and looked like it had been cut with a hack saw. "Mum" I breathed, she was younger again. What was this place? Who else had been locked up here? As in answer to my thought another image came to me, it was an old man. He looked happy in a sad sort of way. Resigned to his fate of dying in this place, how long had he been here? Who was that guy, was he dead now? I suppose he was. He was the other cat. The one before Kyou, I was sure of it. Why was the cat hated, what could a cat do that was so bad? But mother wasn't a cat, what was she doing in here?

I pondered through these thoughts all afternoon, wondering why such a place was created. As the sky outside darkened, the door opened and the woman came in with a tray of dinner, I turned back to the bars and ignored her.

"Eat girl!"

"When am I getting out of here?" I cried.

"If you get out of here it will be a very long time,"

"If?"

"Eat up, I haven't got all day, you should be thankful that your not left to starve," I ate a little rice and then left it all. I was afraid what she would do if I didn't eat but at the same time I didn't feel hungry. Instead fear accumulated in my stomach and took hold of the hunger that I should have felt.

The maid left me and the sun followed suit. In the darkness the fear built up and turned into blind panic. Why was I being kept here, why was that woman so fowl?

I drifted off to sleep easier that night; I was knackered from lack of sleep and worry. My sleep didn't last long however because I heard grinding. I got up and ran to the door. I was being saved!

"Hello," I called through the door.

"Pet-chan is that you, have you got the key?" the voice was muffled so I didn't know who it was. It couldn't be the maid I reasoned, she would have never called me Pet-chan.

"I do!" I whispered happily and dug my hands in my pocket searching for it. I pulled it out and hurriedly put it in the door. I turned it but the door didn't budged. "I've unlocked it," I called and waited for the door to open. It didn't.

"Petals the padlocks have been replace we can't get through them, we never expected that. We're going have to come back tomorrow night, with wire cutters."

"Why can't you come back tonight?" I wailed helplessly.

"It's too dangerous, be patient." I pulled the key out the lock and stuffed it in my pocket. I went and lay down and cried. I don't know what came over me, I never cried, well I assumed I never cried.

After a few minutes I pulled myself together and wiped the tears off my face. Tomorrow couldn't be that bad as I was certain I was going to be rescued and I wasn't forgotten about.

Again I was roughly woken. "The door was unlocked!" the woman screeched! "You have the key don't you, you tied to escape didn't you?"

I totally forgot to relock the door. The woman pulled me up and began to search my pocket, I tried top push her away from me. "Get off of me!"

"Give me that key!"

"What key?"

"Don't act dumb!" I seemed to have infuriated her more and she became stronger, she wrestled the key from me and I felt forlorn. She didn't even bother to give me breakfast, she just wanted to get out of there and for the first time I felt famished. My stomach grumbled and tied itself in knots, how was I supposed to get out the room.

The day was a blur, the maid came back, satisfied with herself and I couldn't bear to look at her. I ate the rice quickly and had a bit of the soup. It was tasteless but I gulped it down then chugged down the water. After that I slammed down the cup and stared through the bars. This had become a habit with me.

The night became dark and I waited by the door, I heard scraping and I called to my rescuers. "The key has been taken!" Everything went quiet.

My heart sank. "What are we to do, I'm sorry Pet-chan but we can't get you out of here without it. We can't break through these padlocks either and attempt to break the door, broken padlocks will look suspicious."

I heard a quieter voice say something and then the noise resumed. In a few minutes I heard a click of the door and it swung open. I saw Yoruko, Maki and Kureno. "Come on!"

"Where did you get the key from?"

"I knew that it was taken from you," Kureno said before he turned and walked off. We followed after him.

"Shouldn't we lock back the door?" I asked.

"What's the point, it going to be obvious when your not in the room?"

"Where's Kyou?"

"I don't know Maki wouldn't tell me? I can't believe you done this Petal, Mum and Dad are worried, I would have told them if I wasn't afraid it would make things worse. But your not going to see Maki again, be sure of that, I'm keeping my eye on you."

"I'm not going home, I'm going with Maki," I said quietly. Yoruko stopped and looked at me, she saw that I couldn't be swayed and stormed off.

"I bet she's going to tell, we better get away from here, this is what happened last time, she told, she's just as untrustworthy as all the other Souma, we better get away from here before we are found." He grabbed my arm and we began to run through the Souma compound.

We wove around the buildings; Maki seemed to know where he was going. Soon we had reached the gates and we got out. We slowed down to a halt to catch our breaths and then began walking into the night. "Where are we going?" I asked breathlessly.

"We're going to Shihan's dojo"

"Where we were before?"

"Yes, he was the guardian of Kyou when he was younger,"

"Kyou said that everyone hates the cat."

"The cat is cursed more than the rest of the Zodiac; the cat is a monster,"

"He didn't seem like a monster though!"

"No, he didn't," Maki agreed. "I never knew there was a real cat, you know. I mean I knew there had been previous cats but… I expect the cat to actually look like a monster."

"That's cruel,"

"What's cruel?"

"I don't know, it just sounds cruel, it's a feeling, you know how I felt locked in there, scared, it was scary and I was only there for a couple of days. Imagine how he felt. Even monsters can get scared,"

"What makes you say that, monsters are monsters?"

"Isn't Kyou supposed to be a monster but he seemed to have emotions,"

"He can't be, if he was, he would be different," we walked on in silence, we must have walked all night because by the time we got to the dojo the sun began to rise. This comforted me for some reason, maybe it was because I felt that we were far away. I wanted to tell my mum and dad that I was okay but I had just walked away and couldn't go back, not yet.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We entered and took off our shoes. Kyou was there, along with Shihan eating breakfast, Shihan looked happy to see us and motioned for us to eat.

We sat down and I looked at Kyou, he looked uneasy. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm sorry I left you, you shouldn't have been put…"

Maki cut in, "I saw you two come out, and then when you were dragged in with that maid I dashed out and made Kyou come with me. He was seriously going to follow you in but I reassured him we would rescue you later."

"I wanted to see her, I knew I was being selfish by letting you take my place…" Kyou continued as if he had to explain.

"Don't say that. We came to rescue you and if you had gone in it would have been all for nothing. Isn't that right Pet-chan?"

"Yes," I said uneasily, that was far from what I felt but I didn't have the heart to say so.

**End Note:** Okay, so now Petal is out of the room, and Kyou is, there is going to be a lot of reunions. What is going to happen when Kyou meets Tooru? What is going to happen when he meets Yuki? Is Kyou going to be able to escape that place once and for all? Thanks to **RinHaru4ever** I swear she's psychic.


	9. Confused

**The Cat House**

**Summary: **Kyou has been locked up for 15 years. Akito is dead so why hasn't Kyou come out yet. Tooru is heartbroken. Yuki is indifferent.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own fruits basket. I only own Souma Petal and her sister Souma Yoruko. This is a sequel to Just One Little Push. Also I don't own the song that will appear in this chapter.

**Confused**

The uneasiness took root in me and grew like a tree. I got up and walked out the back and towards the woods. I had to get away from there, I had no idea what was going to happen now. Was I the only one shocked to find him? Why had he just been left there and forgotten about? The only piece of company was that horrible maid! How long had he been there? And Yoruko…

I turned and walked back to the dojo. I wanted to go home and go back to mummy and daddy. But could I go back? I couldn't just leave this, him. I felt obliged to right the wrongs within the Souma family, even if I didn't know what they were. I could feel them wrapping around me like a sinister blanket, holding me still but secretly urging me forward.

When I returned Shihan said, "We think, you two should go back home, I bet your parents are worried."

"I'm not going, I can't, there is still more I need to do!"

"Petal…" Shihan began but was interrupted by Kyou.

"What can you do, you've done enough. Do you really think I'll be allowed to…"

"You've given up when it hasn't even started! I want answers, I want to know the story, why is the cat hated, Nee-chan won't tell me anything and now I'm starting to think that Maki is keeping things from me!" I continued in a quieter tone, "What can be so terrible?"

Kyou began to walk away from me, he looked angry, but it wasn't as angry as he was when he was that little child. _'It's not my fault!'_ "It's not your fault," I whispered to his retreating back. He stopped and steered at me in utter disbelieve. "That's what you thought when you were younger, when did you start believing different?"

"You understand nothing!"

"I understand some things. You were locked up for a long time, you left Tooru heartbroken and you haven't gone to see her yet. I thought you loved her or have you forgotten about such a thing? I know more than you think. I know that you lost a fight, a really big fight."

"How do you know about that?" his voice was dangerously low.

"Why don't you go and see Tooru?"

"Despite what you might think, I do still love her, but what if I went to see her and then I went back, she would be heartbroken for the second time, how could I do that?"

"I wouldn't allow it. I don't have anyone I love, I would go instead of you,"

"No you wouldn't,"

"Yes I would," that wouldn't have been true half an hour ago but I was born to help others. Even if by doing that, he was the last person I'd help, it would still mean I helped him. However, that was my last option, I had an idea.

"It doesn't make a difference if you would or not, it would never be allowed."

"Yes it would, the maid said…"

"It doesn't make a difference, I would never allow you," then he turned and walked out as if I irritated him with my presence.

"Petal-kun, I know how you feel, you want to..."

"I feel deceived, that's how I feel, why are people keeping things from me, and I've change my mind I do want to go back home, I just want to make a stop by Maki-kun's,"

"Well, ok, if that's what you want,"

I got up and walked to the bathroom to splash water over my face. I thought of Akito, I saw the goodness within her, even someone as cruel as her had feelings, they were just locked up. I heard what she had whispered at the end of the fight, the two boys were two distracted to hear, but I heard.

"Petal-chan, come on," someone beckoned to me. I left the bathroom and slipped out to the front to put on my shoes and get in the car. The journey was silent. Kyou had stayed, so it was just Maki, Shihan and I.

"We're going to walk up down the path," Maki said as he got out the car. He turned to Shihan, "See you later,"

"See you Shishou," I said stepping out the car.

We walked down the path in silence before we entered Maki said, "Pet-chan, please forgive," he then entered before I could ask forgive him for what. Did I want to know?

I entered to see his back whip around the corner at the top of the stairs. I felt a bit stupid so I quickly slid out my shoes and walked into the kitchen. Yuki was there reading a newspaper, he looked tired like he hadn't slept and was waiting for something. "Yuki-san…"

His head whipped up and he sighed in relieve, "Maki is here as well?" he asked. I nodded. "We've been worried about you, then it was heard from Yoruko that you were…" he shook his head as thinking it was better not to say anything. "We should get hold of your parents tell them not to worry."

He rose and walked over to where I suspected the phone to be. "Yuki-san wait, there's things I have to ask you,"

He looked at me wearily, as if he had no mind to answer any question I had. He then proceeded to pick up the phone as if I hadn't said anything.

"Yuki-san! Please, just one question and it's not about Kyou,"

He visibly stiffened at the name, "Yuki-san, soon people are going to have to face up to the secrets that have been buried deep."

"What do you mean, what do you understand?" he looked as if he had trouble keeping his composure.

"I mean, I'm going to get to the bottom of whatever this is."

"I have to go upstairs and see how Machi is doing, she only just went to sleep but maybe she feel better to know Maki's home and the both are you are safe."

"Yuki-san, I thought better of you, what is it that you are afraid off?"

"Is that your question, or is it something different, are you going to ask that stupid question you had to have?" he voice was still quiet but full of malice. I suddenly felt afraid to talk. He turned his back to me and walked away. This was the second time today that it had happened. I couldn't let it.

"How did Shigure-san and Hatori-san die?"

**End Note:** Petal reels of things that she shouldn't know, but that is because she is just realising them at the moment, to her it feel like she has known forever. Woo, what do you think of my little cliffy, does it make you all intrigued? Maybe next chapter we might find out how they perished, and what does this have to do with anything, was there deaths more sinister than previously thought? I don't really think the title of the chapter really fits but, oh well. Thanks to **RinHaru4ever** for constantly giving me support and making me want to keep writing.


	10. Yoruko's Resolve

**Yoruko's Resolve**

**Beg Note: **Thanks to **RinHaru4ever** who never fails to review and encourages me to finish this story. I'm sorry I didn't upload earlier; I had this chapter written I just forgot. That is really bad of me I know but I thought I had uploaded this earlier. And I know it's been months, I'm so sorry.

The little colour in Yuki's pale face left. "Get out of my house!" he uttered quietly.

I didn't show my fear, instead I said, "I will go now, give you time to think about your answer, but I will be waiting," I then turned to leave.

"I'll call your parents," he called after me.

I walked down the dirt path but had no idea where the Sohma grounds were located. This was ridiculous I couldn't get about anywhere. I wandered about, going in the direction I thought was right. 'Might as well explore,' I thought, 'Need to get to know this place, I can't count on anyone anymore.'

As I reached the edge of the forest, I felt hopeless. Questions like 'should I give up?' ran through my head. Maki had given up, that must be the reason he just ran off like that. All the adults had given up.

No, I couldn't, if I did, who would save Kyou? But even Kyou had given up.

I was walking down the road when the Souma grounds came into sight, I had found them although I wasn't consciously looking for them. It looks like it was time for me to go home. I entered the Souma grounds and wondered around till I got to my house. I didn't pass anyone.

I knocked lightly on the door, I didn't feel like ringing the bell or knocking harder, I think I secretly didn't want to be heard. I assumed that mum was waiting at the door because she heard my soft knocks and opened almost immediately.

"Petal!" was all she said and pulled me into a tight hug, "Don't go missing for days ever again, it's too much strain for your dad and I!"

"I'm sorry mum, I didn't mean to, can you let go off me, your embrace is a little painful," I moaned.

"Are you okay? I heard… never mind, you look like you need some sleep. Bed" she ordered.

"Mum, its morning," I groaned but walked up to my room anyway. I wanted to sleep I felt so glum.

I lay down on my bed, I tried my best to sleep but the miserable thoughts that plagued me refused to go away and give me peace enough to sleep. Why was this family cursed there must have been a reason. Did anyone know what it was, or had it been forgotten when everyone became resigned to the fact that they would be cursed for eternity.

Then why was the cat hated more than all the other animals, surely if people were cursed they would want to be together to comfort each other or some sort, but one was excluded, although he shared the pain of everyone else. I had to see Kyou again, but would he want to see me?

I heard a knock, so I sat up and looked at the door, was it mum, "Come in," I called quietly, I wasn't sure if I wanted to talk to anyone at the moment. The door opened and Yoruko walked into the room. "Onee-chan, what do you want?" I didn't mean to make my voice so hostile but I was still angry with her.

"Your not going to give up, are you?"

"No," I said defiantly, although I was thinking, 'what is the point?'

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"For what?" I asked warily.

"For before, I want to help now,"

"What made you change your mind?"

"Don't question me, this is against my better judgement."

I considered telling her about my question to Yuki but I felt like keeping that to myself so I told her about my thoughts about Kyou.

"Your not gonna let up, are you?"

"I'm sure we just established that," I answered annoyed.

"It's just we decided not to tell you, telling you about the curse was debated…"

"How could that be debated, I am apart of it, or have you forgotten."

"It's not me who decides, and I'm not supposed to tell you about Kyou but you've got to promise me, you won't tell anyone that I told you," I nodded but what I really thinking was why was I not allowed to know, am I not trustworthy?

"As the story goes there was a banquet and God said 'Whatever you do, don't be late,'… so the rat told the cat that the banquet was the day after tomorrow, when actually it was the next day… All the animals made their way to see God, all of them except for the cat who slept dreaming about the banquet he was never going to get to."

"What's that got to do with anything?" I asked dumbfounded.

"That's why the cat is hated, the cat is more cursed then any zodiac, the cat is a monster, he's disgusting." Yoruko said the last bit in a whisper.

"You can't think that?" I gasped.

"It's the truth," she said mater-of-factly.

"Well, I don't believe that," I said boldly.

"So what do you think?" annoyance edging into her voice.

"I don't know, I'm going to find out, but that is all wrong, Kyou is not a monster, he never was and never will be. The cat wasn't a monster, he just missed a feast and even if he was, that had nothing to with Kyou."

"Why don't you ask your precious Yuki what he thinks of that… of Kyou!" she spat at me.

"You didn't come to help me, you came to set me straight, to convince me of your beliefs," I said miserably, "Which are all wrong! Get out!" I put as much venom in to my voice as possible. How could she be like that, think that, how could anybody think that?

--

I may not have liked what Yoruko had said, but it gave me insight, I sort of knew why he was locked up. It gave me something to continue. I was angry. How could anybody justify this? In addition I wondered why I was so worked up. Maybe it was because I had experienced the horror of that place.

I lay down thinking about what I should do and must off drifted off; not so long later mum was calling me to come down for dinner. I went down stairs and shot Yoruko a dirty look before sitting down. She looked crestfallen and I couldn't help but feel guilty, she was my sister after all. But I wasn't going to talk to her. Not yet, I couldn't.

After dinner I got up and helped mum do the dishes. "Where's dad?" I asked

"He's away," mum said shortly.

"Mum can I go and visit Maki?" I asked although the person I really wanted to see was Yuki.

"No, not at this time maybe tomorrow"

Mum seemed preoccupied. Where was dad? I went up to my room and tried to sleep some more but I couldn't maybe it was because I had slept all day.

Yoruko walked in my room, "I thought I heard you come up the stairs, there's something I've got to tell you."

"I don't want to listen," I said annoyed. Yoruko ignored this statement and came and sat on my bed.

"One day I took this wrong turn, I saw this man, he was about thirty. He was behind some bars that looked out into a garden," she started, I looked away, I knew where she was. I had been there, but on the other side of the bars.

"So… You saw Kyou! You would have seen that he was not a monster then!"

"It was raining," she continued as if I hadn't said anything, "I was crying, and he put his hand through the bars and on my shoulder to comfort me. There were black and white beads decorating his wrist. I touched them because they interested me and somehow lost my balance, the beads came with me."

I looked at my sister pitifully. Why was she telling me about something that happened so many years ago?

"He screamed, his voice changed, it went all multi-toned and the smell, I just wanted to be sick. It was so scary, I saw it, the monster, I ran away. It was disgusting!"

I looked at her in shock, what was she trying to say? "I need to sleep," I said imperceptibly. Yoruko got up and left. I lay down staring at the ceiling. "Yuki hates him, you know, more than anyone else, he found me back then, comforted me, and told me…" she let her voice trial off and left.

I could hear voices; they belonged to mum and Tooru. I strained to hear what they were saying. Tooru seem distressed.

**End note: **Okay, I will leave it there. I am writing the next chapter as I upload this so hopefully the next update should be soon although what is soon. I think that Petal has set of the catalyst for change, the one that many people before her tried to achieve before her but never quite got there, especially with the tragedy that happened.


	11. Afternoon Breakfast

**The Cat House**

**Beg note: **the stupid computer, I got myself into the flow of writing and then the computer had to go and turn itself off! And now what I'm trying to write is not as good. It's soooooo annoying and now I'm out of the flow. So irritating, exasperating, irksome, infuriating, maddening, frustrating, vexing, troublesome, inconvenient and I can go on and on and it will not describe how I feel at the moment grrrrrrrrrrhhhhh!

**Afternoon breakfast**

I slept into the afternoon but still felt tired when I finally dragged myself out of bed. I trudged down the stairs, heading for the kitchen, my stomach was rumbling, the reason I even got up at all. I poured myself some serial, no one was about, that was good I wanted to be alone any way. As I went to get some milk I noticed a note on the refrigerator.

Petal,

Haru and I have gone to

work, I will be home late

tonight but Haru's should

be back in the afternoon.

So don't worry, we didn't

want to wake you. Sorry

for not saying bye.

Mummy

It didn't explain where Yoruko was, maybe she had gone out after them. Not that I cared where that girl was at the moment. Thinking about her caused pangs in my chest, I'm wishing so much to break the curse at the moment. I don't want anyone to suffer anymore, hadn't our family suffered enough? I'm suffering just thinking about it, so how was everyone else coping.

The doorbell run and I supposed it was dad, had he forgotten his keys. Picking up my bowl I continued to eat on the way to the front door. Yuki stood there perfect as ever, I was so shocked I nearly dropped my afternoon breakfast. He smiled at me as if he hadn't just chucked me out his house with words yesterday.

"Is Haru in?" I shook my head unable to speak, he was making me angry for a reason I did not know. He looked at me expectantly and I realised he wanted to come in.

I walked back towards the kitchen calling over my shoulder, "Mum said he would be back some time this afternoon." Yuki follow me inside the kitchen and sat down opposite me at the table.

"What do you want with my father?" I asked a little menacingly.

"That is none of your concern, after all he is my cousin and I can talk to him if I like," Yuki said this all very politely but it irritated me, none the less.

"Kyou is your cousin too. Go and talk to him," Yuki didn't reply, so I pushed on, "Do you really think he is a monster? He didn't look like a monster to me,"

A picture of shock appeared on the grey haired man. "The real monster is the one who is locking him away,"

"Kyou knew his fate before and has now accepted it," Yuki said calmly it was grating.

"I will not accept it, it is easy to accept something happening to you but to sit by and do nothing when someone else is suffering, there is no way I can," I growled

"You do not understand…"

"Then make me understand!"

We seemed to reach a stale mate at this moment, Yuki didn't even to bother explain anything to me as if I wasn't important enough to know anything. I got up and went to my room, I didn't care if it was bad hospitality; I just could bear to be in the room with him.

My dad called me down, some time later.

"Do you want to go and see Maki-kun and stay over?" he asked, it looked like he didn't know about mine and Yuki's less than friendly relationship.

"If Yuki wants me I will go," I said unable to keep the snootiness out of my voice.

"Petal, are you okay?" The black and white haired father said to me worriedly. I think I surprised him a lot speaking like that.

"I would love to have you stay over," Yuki said in his fake pleasant tone. I visibly cringed and my dad eyes filled with worry.

"Petal you're not sick are you?"

I shook my head, "mm nm"

"Then quickly, go pack you're bags, you'll be going soon," I went up the stairs slowly and into my room, I did not immediately go for my rucksack or some things I would need. Instead I lay on my bed and dosed off.

"_I'm sorry, I'm sorry,"_

"_Why are you sorry?"_

"_Because I left you to fight by yourself,"_

"_Why did you!"_

"_I found out something I didn't like,"_

"_What was it, why didn't you tell me then?"_

"_I didn't want it to be true,"_

"_What to be true?"_

"_I'm not going to live very long,"_

"_What… why!"_

"_I have the full weight of the curse upon me,"_

"_I don't understand k…"_

"_I felt weak sometimes but I did not know what it was,"_

"_But you do now,"_

"_I am the most cursed of all the Zodiac,"_

"_But Kyou, isn't Kyou the most cursed, the monster, its Kyou…"_

"_I am the most cursed! I have the full curse on top of my shoulders, I don't want to die, why do I have to? It's not fair!"_

"_Please don't cry, it's okay, I'm going to break the curse,"_

"_It was decided when I was born that I would die young,"_

"_Who decided that?!_

"_I don't not want to bear this burden,"_

"_You won't have to, I'm going to…"_

"_Forgive me"_

"_I forgive you! __I forgive you,__I forgive you!__I forgive you__, __I forgive you!__I forgive you,__I forgive you!__I forgive you__" I__ cried my voice fading, I was crying, I hadn't even realise I had started._

Someone was rubbing tears off my face, it felt nice, it calmed me a little, opening my eyes and looking into the eye's of my dad. "Dad," I croaked.

"We thought you were taking a bit long and here you are haven fallen asleep,"

I smiled a little, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to,"

"It's okay pumpkin, you must have been tired, hurry now, Yuki has to go,"

"Pumpkin?" I asked as I got my rucksack and stuffed some clothes, pj's and random other stuff into it.

"It's because you look like a Halloween pumpkin when you sleep,"

"Dad!" I picked up a teddy bear and threw it at his head before running out the room. When I emerged from the bathroom sticking my toothbrush into a front pocket I saw my dad waiting for me at the top of the stairs,"

"Pumpkin are you ready now," he joked. I screwed up my face and stalked past him and down the stairs.

Yuki was waiting patiently and got up when he saw me. I hugged my dad and followed him to the car, the journey was going to be awkward I can tell.

**End note: **I sorry this chapter was short but I really wanted to get it up. Okay next chapter is at Yuki's house, is Yuki ever going to reveal what happened all those years ago and has anyone guessed who God is. The "I forgive you's" were origanally getting smaller but when uploaded them they came out the same size.


	12. The way things are

**The Cat House**

**Beg note:** Okay, here is the next chapter I wonder what happens now. Nah I'm kidding I know what's going to happen. Or do I? Well lets see shall we, I am totally mad. Kyou goes insane! And they don't actually make it Yuki's house like I said last time.

**The way things are**

I looked out the window for a few moments, thinking of what I should say to make Yuki talk without causing him to be irritated. I turned to look at him and opened my mouth, "I…"

"I thought we could do something before you kids go back to school," Yuki began, effectively cutting off my tirade.

"That was very nice of you," I replied turning my focus back to the window, and saying to the sky, "I know,"

"I'm just trying to make the end of the holiday's fun,"

"I had a dream last night, Yuki why won't you just tell me what's going on,"

"Petal-san, I know you think that you are able to do something, able to make things better, but that is impossible, I don't want to give you false hopes,"

"Fine if you won't talk, listen, listen to what I have to say," I glared at him defiantly and after a moment he gave a small slow nod.

"I know you hate Kyou but I don't know why. I know you two had a big fight, you looked at him with intense dislike and broke him down, you could have knocked him out but you went for moves that caused the most pain. I hate this; I hate you for making me feel like this. How can you be so cruel, I know you can do something for Kyou but you won't because of your dislike for him, how can you be so petty!"

"There is nothing I can do, you're wrong I don't hate Kyou, I just hate what he done, he brought it on himself."

"What for? Being the cat, for being a monster. Sorry! But that is not a good enough reason."

"This is not just about Kyou!" We pulled up outside Yuki's house and Yuki made to get out the car.

"Is it about Maki, is he going to die?"

Yuki closed the door slowly and turned to look at me. "There is more to the curse isn't there and it has something to do with Maki,"

"I don't know what you are saying but…"

"Can't you take me to Shihan's dojo? Maki and I are not talking at the moment, I just want to see Shihan," _and Kyou._

To my shock Yuki acquiesced. "I don't know my way so I just wondered if you would take me," I said meekly.

"We're going are we not? And I know that Kyou is there,"

"Oh Yuki, you do care!"

"No, you just won't listen to me, it's either this or taking you back home,"

I felt so happy at this moment. I didn't know why. I just knew that I had finally moved a step forward. Yuki had on his fake smile again but that was good enough for me, it looked like he was really trying. I stayed quiet for the rest of the journey, so as not to alter his decision.

We walked into the dojo there was no one about, "I wonder where they are," I thought aloud.

"Maybe out the back," I followed behind Yuki. Kyou was in the back yard calling out different animals and moving through the stances.

"Oi stupid cat, it doesn't matter how much you practice you'll never beat me,"

"You damned rat!" he stared daggers at Yuki and came storming over to us. He threw a punch that Yuki dogged.

"Stop!"

"This is how much I hate the cat!" Yuki said maniacally as he sent Kyou flying with a simple kick.

I began to cry, I didn't even realise it, "Things could have been different," I sobbed. Kyou had gotten up and had walked over awkward looking and Yuki's face softened.

"What are you two doing here?" Kyou asked forcefully.

"I just wanted to know what happened to Hatori and Shigure," Kyou blanched. "Kyou, Yuki won't say anything but I thought you might know."

"Kyou," Yuki said softly. Kyou was caught off guard. "I'm sorry, you don't even know why I hate you,"

"Yes I do, it's because I am the cat, and everyone hates the cat."

"No, that was never the reason... I was always alone when I was younger, my only company was Akito, and he told me everyone hated me and that I should only love him. But I couldn't, I was afraid of him, I ran away and a boy dropped a hat, I wanted to give it back to be friends with him but he just screamed at me and said he hated me."

"What, I thought you looked down on me…"

"No one hated you but yourself, Shigure and Hatori, if you hadn't, they wouldn't…"

_--_

"_You're talking to me," there was a hint of amusement in his voice._

"_They will all come back to me, the cat as well, they all belong to me, I will not be alone. That's what I thought but it's driving them all away from me, at this rate I will be all alone,"_

"_Akito what are you saying," his tone had become more serious._

"_Let the cat have his freedom!" Akito screeched before falling into a coughing fit and collapsing on the floor, "Get out of my sight," she wheezed._

_Shigure left the room at a leisurely pace, "I will call Hatori to have a look at you," he said raising his hand above his shoulder and flicking it as a goodbye gesture._

"_Hatori, I think you might have to go and see to Akito," the man who had been waiting outside nodded._

_If anyone looked at the man who was strolling out of the main house, they would have said he looked his normal childish self. But they would have been wrong. He was completely shocked out of his socks. He had been called out to hear that, when Akito had been refusing to talk to him for ages. Kyou had been getting desperate, he hated more than anything else to be cooped up and going into confinement was looming on him like a storm cloud._

"_Where's Kyou, I have some news," he asked jovially to the grey haired boy, who was standing in front of the house._

"_I don't know," Yuki sounded worried which was probably a first when talking about the cat. "His gone insane, he fought me, said it was my fault and ran away, but he wasn't his normal self, he wasn't angry he was different."_

"_Do you have any idea where he went?"_

"_No,"_

"_You should have followed him, I'm going to call Hatori and Ayame,"_

"_Why Nii-San?"_

"_We need someone to annoy Kyou back home,"_

"_I'll look through the woods," Yuki made his way from the house and began to jog in the direction that Kyou left in. He ran this way and that, until he smelt smoke. He turned around and Kyou was there holding up a burning stick. In his other hand he held something that resembled a watering can._

"_Kyou, everyone's worried about you, lets go home," Kyou smiled and turned, leading the way back to the house._

_Yuki was relieved that Kyou didn't put up a fight and returned silently, he picked up the phone to call Shigure, "Kyou's here, his fine," _

"_I'm not fine, everyone hates me, everyone hates the cat, and they want to lock up that monster!"_

"_Stupid cat, why are you still holding that torch, we do have electricity,"_

"_I'm going to kill you," he said slowly pronouncing every word delicately._

"_What with a torch," Yuki laughed. "I'm not afraid of fire,"_

"_And then I'm going to kill myself," Kyou continued as if the other boy hadn't said anything. And then he flung down the torch, the wooden house caught alight, spurred on by the petrol. The cat and the mouse stood inside a circle of flames, that were growing bigger and bigger, the smoke choking them._

_Kyou was suddenly scared his eyes wide. "You stupid cat!" Yuki hissed._

"_Yuki, Kyou!" It was Hatori and Shigure._

"_My darling brother, are you hurt!"_

"_We've got to do something," Yuki hissed. Kyou stood there unmoving. Watching the flames trap them further._

"_Kyou, we've got to get out of here," Yuki search around looking for an escape route, it was narrow and a close cut but their only chance. He grabbed a hold of Kyou and dragged him along. Kyou wouldn't bug. Angry, he hit Kyou in the stomach and the red head slumped over._

"_Yuki, your big brother has come to save you!" Ayame had entered the burning building and rushed towards them. Yuki was struggling under Kyou's weight and smoke inhalation._

_Hatori and Shigure had entered more cautiously. Ayame pulled Kyou's free arm around his shoulder and helped Yuki pull him out. They slowly made their way over to the other two adults. "You three go first," Hatori said, allowing them to pass. They made their way slowly through the house, avoiding the fire, when a beam dropped separating Yuki, Kyou and Ayame from Shigure and Hatori. It had effectively stopped the latter from escaping, "We'll find another route, you three go on ahead," Hatori called._

**End note:** Now one question is answered. And Kyou was about to get his freedom and he had to burn the house down. Yes things could have definately been different. Yuki doesn't want to have too much hope in Petal because he doesn't really believe she can do anything. Hopefully she can prove him wrong.


	13. Change for the Better?

**The Cat House**

**Beg note: **I think this is going to be the last chapter. It has been fun and over a year since I started this story. What a shocker!

**Change for the better?**

"If everyone hated you, why did they all come to save you?"

"You were in the house as well,"

"But they were there because of you, even my brother was looking for you! You never see it, people are always drawn to you. I hated you so much at that moment, it didn't feel real then."

"That was the first time you fought me seriously, afterwards I passed out and when I came to I was locked up,"

"Akito died of a broken heart because of you, Akito was always close to Shigure and was always looked after by Hatori, they burned because of you.

"I suffered too, knowing that I could live only if you were locked up, Akito reminded me of that all the time that I could marry Machi because you were suffering. Someone had to suffer after all.

"And then Maki was born, Akito had been dead a year but everyone left you there, the maid saying only God could let you out. I knew Maki was special, that Maki was born to be the next God of the zodiac but I couldn't tell anyone, not to let you out, I had to protect him."

"God?" I asked confused, this was a new aspect to the curse that I had yet to find out about.

"Maki is the new God, I wanted him to grow up happy as to not be twisted and pained like Akito was. Then he was to order Kyou out of his prison, don't you think I don't dream of you Kyou everyday, wake up thinking about you. I hated you so much but I made you suffer your worse fate. I hate myself, I live with thinking this will be the last time the cat suffers, the last!"

Kyou opened his mouth to reply but I beat him to it. "Maki knows, he told me," that wasn't completely true, I only dreamt he told me but Maki must have knew, how could he not? "Look, I don't understand what's going on but it was just me fighting, fighting against what must be and I would keep fighting. That's how I felt and I will always feel that way but this is for you to sort out. Kyou is already out, he doesn't have to go back. You don't have to suffer anymore, I'm sure Hatori and Shigure were happy that they could save both of you. Don't bring suffering on yourself anymore. Neither of you, you can't change the past but the future is what you make it!"

"It's not that simple," Yuki and Kyou said simultaneously.

"I never said it was," I whispered.

--

Maki and I walked from school, the autumn term had started. Things were changing, slowly. Maki had become more moody, but every time he showed signs of having a tantrum I would scold him. Yuki was not coping well with this change it was if he saw a monster growing.

"I feel sick," Maki moaned, "Why ain't you worried, I am going to die soon and all you can think about is going to school,"

"Have you died yet?" I asked frustrated, where had this attitude come from? He had known before Yuki finally told him but the change had come after.

"No, but I will soon, I feel terrible,"

"And did you feel terrible before everyone found out, no, what is wrong with you!"

"I don't know," I looked at him, this was the first time I had gotten this sort of reply from him since he had turned like this. "These aren't really my feelings, they feel like someone else's but they get so strong that I can't distinguish them from my own."

I hugged him with all my might, happy that he had divulged in me, "And I will always be here to help you,"

We reached Maki's house and entered, Kyou was there, which was a shock.

"Kyou, what are you doing here?" I asked in surprise without thinking about what I said.

"That rat invited me for some reason, but he isn't here, he just likes to waste my time."

"I'm sure he had a perfect reason," Machi said pleasantly handing him a cup of tea.

I never foresaw the mayhem that was about to happen it all happened so quick.

"You ginger carrot top, how could you leave Tooru so heartbroken and for so long then think you can crawl your way back!" there was a mass of bleached blonde hair.

"Uotani, you're still bleaching your hair," Kyou replied twitching.

"And so are you," she growled in reply.

"This is my real colour!" he protested.

"Ahh, ah, let's all get along,"

Kyou's breath hitched, "Tooru," he breathed.

"You stupid cat, Tooru has been waiting for you, for years, don't make her wait any longer," Yuki whispered into the cat's ear as he passed, disappearing into the kitchen with Machi.

"I think it's time we disappear and we better take Uo with us," Maki murmured in my ear.

"Uo-chan, I have some pictures to show you, of a long time ago."

She glared at the red head for a moment longer, and hissed, "If you make her cry, you don't even want to know what I am going to do to you,"

I showed her the picture we took at the party a long time ago for everyone else but me. "Your in the pictures," Maki gasped surprised. "But this is from before you were born, before I was born, before both of us, how…"

I began to explain what happened, both Uo and Maki were a really good audience. I grinned at the end. I think I sort of remember this.

"Wait, I sort of remember this but, I don't really remember anything else about you. How come, you said you were around for a few months?"

"Hatori erased your memories I suppose,"

"Hatori knew?" Maki asked surprised. "Didn't he wonder about the future or something?"

"I didn't really see Hatori, I think he sorted it out with Nee-chan,"

The three of us sat there in thought for a few moments, then Uo announced that she had to check on Tooru and Kyou. Maki also got up, looking at me strangely, I gave him a look that told him to stop it.

"I'm going to see what everyone else is doing," he looked at me expectantly but I didn't feel like following.

"I'm going to go outside for a bit." I said softly, avoiding his gaze as I left the room.

I strode out the front door and into the nearby woods. What was this I was feeling? It was strange, I'd never felt like this before, it didn't feel bad, just strange, strangely good, as if the something tugging in my chest had gone, as if I didn't have to try so hard anymore, as if something had been lifted off my shoulders. I could feel the soft breeze on my face as I wandered through the trees, maybe it was because, for the first time, I felt free.

**End Note: **And yes this is the end.


End file.
